Improvement in car-bumpers



S. M CUMMINGS.

CAR-BUMPER.

WITNESSES I I /J;;LVEETOR ATTORNEY- N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGHAF'HER,WASHINGTON, D c.

ml i ez fgw; Patented J'u1y 3,1877.

SAMUEL M. CUMMINGS, on ALLEGHENY, PA., ASSIGNOR or TWO-THIRDS HIS RIGHTro .ionnwnrrn AND JOHN, MARQUIS, or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT m CAR-BUMPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,570, dated July 3,1877; application filed June 7, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. CUMMINGS, of Allegheny city, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Oompressible Bufiers for Railroad-Oars; and I dohereby declare the following to be a-full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in A compressible buffers forrailroad-cars and it consists in connecting them by means of anequalizing bar, rod, lever, or its equivalent, whereby both buffers arekept in continuous contact with those on the preceding or followingcars, be it on a curve or a straight track, to maintain an even motionof the cars, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a plan view of my invention,and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the same.

a represents the platform of a car. beyond which slightly project twobuffers, 12, one of them being placed at each side of the car at asuitable distance from the coupling between them. The shanks cof thebufi'ers, extending backward, pass through holes in the ends of theequalizer e, and these shanks are surrounded by coiled springs s, whichpress the heads of the bufiersoutward.

The space between the equalizer and collar d, in which the springs areconfined, may be suitably adjusted by means of the nuts upon the ends ofthe shanks. The equalizer 6 connecting the rear ends of the shanks ofthe buffers is pivoted in the center i, the pivot being firmly securedto the car, So that any pressure brought against the heads of thebuffers will be resisted at this point.

One of the heads of the buifcrs is rigid, and moves only horizontallyforward and backward with the shank to which it is attached, while thehead K on the second buffer moves in all directions by means of aballjoint or some other device. These heads are distributed in such amanner that each movable head encounters a fixed one on the preceding orfollowing cars.

By the couplings the heads of all the buffers of the train are broughttogether, and then held in unbroken contact by the pressure of thesprings; and as long as the pressure against the buffers remains equal,the equalizer remains motionless; but when it becomes greater on oneside than on the other, as is the case on a curve, the equalizer willrecede where the greater pressure occurs, andadvance correspondingly onthe opposite, thuscompensating and making the pressure even on bothsides and maintaining an even motion.

The buffers of the above construction are designed not only to preventan uneven strain upon the cars when in motion, but also to avoid anySudden concussion, and consequent jarring, whichinevitably occurs at thestarting and stopping of trains, or when the velocity of a train issuddenly changed.

Although certain forms of devices have here been shown, it is evidentthat other and equivalent devices may be substituted in their steadwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, the object of whichis to lessen the unequal strain upon the cars, to cause them to run moresmoothly, and to prevent the rolling or rocking of the cars when inmotion.

I am aware that compressible buffers are used to steady the motion ofcars; but, acting independently of each other, the strain becomesunequal on a curve, being greater on the one than the other.

I am also aware that car-couplings have been used in pairs, and have hadtheir rear ends united together by equalizing-rods, and this I broadlydisclaim. In my invention the rod acts, in combination with thebufl'ers, for an entirely different purpose. It is immaterial whatcoupling device is used to unite the cars together, as the coupler actsentirely In testimonytliat I claim the foregoing I by itself, andwithout any connection with have hereunto. set my hand this 31st day ofmy buffers. May, 1877.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim- SAMUEL M. CUMMINGS.

In a compressible buffer for cars, the combination of the shanks 0,having their rear Witnesses: ends connected together by a pivoted'equal- JOHN MARQUIS, izing-rod, e, springs s, and movable and rigidJOHN WHITE. heads K, substantially as described.

